Mommy's Pen

A writer's notes on family

You are here: Home / Archives for middle grade novel

The Mommy’s Pen Podcast – Episode 2: Cleopatra & the First Plot Point

by

This week on the podcast we discuss ancient Egyptian body odor and the story structure concept of the first plot point.

It’s twelve minutes of fun! Listen now…

We are now available on Apple podcasts! As a new show, reviews are VERY important to help us grow. Please consider leaving a review.

You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Season 1, Episode 2: First Plot Point

Nora reviews Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile from the Royals Diaries series. Sue explains the function of a first plot point (FPP) and Nora takes a stab at identifying the FPP in Cleopatra and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Nora also clues us in on how ancient Egyptians handled body odor (hint: it involves snakes) and points to some great places to learn more about history.

Read the full transcript.

Things we mention that you should check out:

  • Our mailing list! Sign up today and you’ll get cool subscriber only perks like bonus material and artwork from my forthcoming novel, The Cat, the Cash, the Leap and the List.
  • You can follow Mary Beard on Twitter and read her column “A Don’s Life” in the Times Literary Supplement. But please do yourself a big favor and head over to YouTube, search for her name, and start binge watching documentaries on ancient Rome. This woman is one of my heroes — a brilliant presenter AND totally unwilling to wear make-up or a bra while fronting programs for the BBC.
  • Horrible Histories started as book series and is now a television series in the UK. It’s bloody good fun and you can watch all the episodes on Hulu.com.
  • If you want to learn more about first plot points and a four-act structure for stories, I highly recommend the work of Larry Brooks. You can see a list of his books at the Story Fix website.

This post was lovingly sponsored by my Patreon supporters (you can become one, too!). 

[Read more…]

Big News

by

Ten-year-old Martha has leadership skills. At least that’s what her parents say. Her cousins, Sanjay and Anand, just say she’s bossy.

Martha and the Boys: Ten-year-old Martha has leadership skills.
At least that’s what her parents say.
Her cousins, Sanjay and Anand, just say she’s bossy.

Last summer, I fell in love with middle grade novels. First it was The Penderwicks series. Then Harriet the Spy. Then Charlotte’s Web, then The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, then Harry Potter. And on and on.

When I fall in love, I fall hard. And when I fall in love with books, I want to write.

So.

Over a week long vacation in August, I pounded out a draft of my own novel for ages 8-12. That’s right, I wrote 25,000 words in nine days.

And I couldn’t have done it without Nora. She was my tiny project manager. I’d write a few hundred words and read it back to her. “That’s so great, Mommy! Write some more!”

Did I mention one of my main characters is a ten-year-old girl with, ahem, leadership skills?

All these years I’ve tried to find time for writing while parenting. Turns out all I needed to do was write something my daughter wanted to read!

Now it’s seven months and many revisions later. The novel is in its final draft (I hope).

I’m querying agents. I’ve had two nibbles so far. Exciting!

While I wait, I thought I’d give you guys a peek at it and the chance to get an email notification when it’s published.

Click here to get a taste of the book, tentatively titled Martha and the Boys. If it sounds like something you and your kids would like to read, enter your email address to read the entire first chapter and get notified when it’s published.

 

View our privacy policy.